Combined portable shower and vapor bath



G. G. STIMPSON.

COMBINED PORTABLE SHOWER AND VAPOR BATH.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 21,1920.

Patented May25, 1920.

2 S HEETSSHEET 1- Invenfo x v z zmzm X G. G. STIMPSON.

COMBINED PORTABLE SHOWER AND VAPOR BATH.

APPLICATION FELE JAN. 21, 1920. 1,341,485"

Patented May 25, 1920.

[SHEETS-SHEET 2- Zmzm 4 ay- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GORDON G. STIMPSON, OF BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA, ASSIGNOR TO FRANK I-I. GRANADE AND FRED T. STIMPSON, BOTH OF BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA.

COMBINED PORTABLE SHOWER AND VAPOR BATH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 25, 1920.

Application filed January 21, 1920. Serial No. 353,033.

To all 1071,0172. it may concern Be it known that I, GORDON G. S'rrMrsoN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Birmingham, in the county of Jefferson and State of Alabama, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Combined Portable Shower and Vapor Baths, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to certain improvements in portable cabinet baths, and more particularly to apparatus of this character which affords facilities for taking either a shower bath, or a vapor bath, at will.

An important object of the invention is to provide a portable bath cabinet, constructed entirely of metal, and adapted for installation wherever needed, the cabinet being provided with a drainage outlet, whereby connection may be made with a pipe either leading to a sewer, or to other convenient point of discharge. Interiorly of the cabinet is arranged a water tank, which moves in suitable guide-ways for vertical adjustment, and is provided with a valved outlet leading to a spray nozzle for controlling the discharge of waterfrom the tank in a spray upon the user of the cabinet. Means, herein shown as comprising pulleys and a cord or chain, for raising and lowering the tank in order to regulate the height thereof to control the force of water which is sprayed upon the user, is provided, the end of the cord or chain being within convenient reach of the person occupying the cabinet, whereby the water tank may be positioned at any height desired.

In connection with the vertically adjustable tank a very important feature of the invention is comprised in a stove or other heating apparatus, which is sustained suitably within the cabinet, at a point below the lower limit of movement of the adjustable tank therein. The heating apparatus pro vides means whereby when the tank is low ered the water therein will be heated, and when elevated above the heating apparatus, and the valve controlling the spray nozzle is opened, a shower bath of warm, or suitably tempered water may be taken. Another advantage following from this feature of the invention is that it permits the apparatus to be used for the purpose of giving a vapor bath, as when the water tank is lowered to position over the heater, the occupant of the cabinet by sitting on a high stool and draping a blanket around his neck and shoulders, may enjoy the luxury of a vapor bath from the steam generated from the water in the tank.

Another highly important feature of the invention is comprised in a detachable bracket and guiding yoke or device which serves to guide the movements of the tank vertically above the cabinet, so that the ele vation of the tank is not limited by the guiding means within the cabinet. The detachable guiding devices which extend above the cabinet are removable therefrom and may be placed within the cabinet when the latter is shipped.

The above, and other important features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description, and the novel elements and combinations of the invention will be more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 is a view in perspective of the bathing cabinet, showing the water tank in lowered position over the heater;

Fig. 2 is a view, enlarged, showing the detailed construction of the water tank and its guiding and elevating means;

Fig. 3 is a detail view, in side elevation, showing the bracket and guideextensions;

Fig. 4 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view of the cabinet, showing the tank in elevated position;

Fig. 5 is a plan view; and

Fig. 6 is a detail view, enlarged, showing in plan, part of the guiding means for the tank. 7

The cabinet 1, preferably constructed of sheet metal, and of rectangular shape in cross-section, is formed with the side walls 2, back wall 3, and concave or dished, water tight metal floor l, with drainage outlet 5. The front opening of the cabinet is closed by a door 6, which is hinged to swing inwardly, and is preferably fitted with a catch and operating means which latter are located on the inside and on the outside of the door, so that the door may be locked or unlocked, either from the inside or the outside of the cabinet. The cabinet is provided at each of the four corners with metal corner posts 8, which may be conveniently of angle-iron construction, and extend below the bottom 4 of the cabinet a suitable distance to provide supporting legs 9, of sufficient length to elevate the floor so as to leave a space underneath the same, for sanitarypurposes. An inner fioor 10, which may be made of wooden slats, rests upon suitable cross-pieces 11, which latter support the slats above the metal floor 4;. The floor 1O permits drainage of the water from the person Within the cabinet, which water flows to the outlet 5, where it is conducted by a pipe, or other suitable means, to a sewer or other point of discharge.

Within one 01" the corners of the cabinet a water tank 12 provided with a suitable outlet pipe 18 having a valve 14:, and spray nozzle 15', is supported for vertically adjustable movements from a point well down within the tank, as illustrated in Fig. 1, to a point above the top of the open end of the tank, as shown in Fig. at. Extending from diametrically opposite points across the corner or" the cabinet in which the tank 12 moves, are suitable guide plates 16, formed, as shown, of metal which is doubled upon itsel'tand formed into rounded beads or guides 18, the upper open ends of which receive the two extremities of the detachable U-shaped guiding member 20. The

parallel branches of the guiding member 20 .form continuations of the guides 18 a suitable distance above the top of the cabinet, whereby the water tank 'may be elevated sufficiently to give the required height or fall to the water so that the spray issuing from the nozzle 15 may have sufficient force to give a satisfactory shower bath. EX- tending across the upper portion of the tank 1, and'through diametrically arranged slots or apertures therein, is a guide bar 21,

preferably formed of flattened metal, and whose ends, which extend beyond the walls of the water tank, are re'curved, or bent, as indicated at 22,to form grooves or guideways which fit over andcooperate withthe guides or beads 18 and the extensions thereof. formed by the arms of the U-shaped member 20. Extending from one corner of the open upper end of the tank is a curved bracket 23, the lower end of which passes through an aperturein the frame 24, which extends about the upper open end of the tank, to whichsaid end may be convent ently secured by nuts 25, 26, which bear upon the upper and lower faces of the frame 24. The upper end of" the bracket 23 is shown as wound around the U-shaped guiding member 20, at 27, and said end por tion of the brace terminates in a hook 28. A double sheave pulley 29 is suspended by its ring from the hook 28. A single sheave pulley 30 is preferably connected with the center of the bar 21, and a suitable cord or chain 31, is passed about the pulleys 29, 30, and has its free end extendingwithin the cabinet, and in reach of the person therein.

inwardly The cord or chain 31 serves, through. the

.instrumentality of the pulleys,,,to provide means for raisingand lowering 'tlietank 12 so as to control its elemtionsuitabl the end portion of the cord being secured to a cleat 32, within the cabinet, when the tank has been raised or lowered to the height desired.

It will be seen" that the guiding means for the tank and the tank are located well within one of the corners of the cabinet, so that the tank during its vertical movements of adjustment, is well removed from the'central portion of the cabinet which is occupied by the person taking the bath,- and hence the presence of the tank will not inter fere with the free movements ofthe' bather. This is a veryimportant consideration in bathing cabinets of this type, whicl'rare necessarily constructed of limited size, and where considerations of space within the cabinet are very important. 1

At a suitable point near the bottom of the cabinet, and in the corner in which the tank 12 is located,is a shelf 33, whichsupports a heater 34, the latter being directly beneath the tank 12,50 that the tank may be lowered to position immediately above. the heater for the purpose of heating the water to the desired temperature, either for a shower bath, or, if desired, for a vapor bath. In case it is desired to take a vapor bath, the patient will sit upon a high stool within the cabinetand drape a blanket or other covering over his shoulders to inclose the water tank, and the steam generated'by the heater 3% will beconfined that the full benefit of the vapors may be obtained.

The tank is limited in its downward movement by stops 40, 40, which are located near the lower ends of the plates 116 and in position to be engaged by the end portions of the bar 21 when the tank is lowered to position immediately above the heater 34:.

In addition to the advantages which follow from utilizing the apparatus eitheri'or the purpose of a shower bath, or avapor bath, the fact that the heater is located below the water tank permits the batherto suitably temper the water in the tank by regulating the distance of the latter from the heater, so that water ofany temperature desired may be supplied. 7

hanges may be made'inr the details of construction of the various parts shown, or in the relative arrangement, without in any manner departing from the broad features of the invention, the scope of which is defined in the following claims. 1

Having thus described my invention what I claim is:-- V a 1. Bathing apparatus of the character described, comprising, in combination, a, cabinet having a corner formed by two-of its walls lie a vertically adj ustable water tank located in said corner, guiding means comprising plate members extending partly across said corner and U-shaped cooperating members carried by said-tank for controlling the vertical nuwemcnts oi the tank, and means for vertical adjustment oi the tank.

Bathing apparatus of the character describe .l, comprising, in combination, a cabinet structure two walls of which form a corner, guides projecting diametrically across said corner, a water tank provided with an outlet nozzle and having cooperating guiding means com n'ising bars with U-shaped portions extending beyond the walls of the tank, and means for vertically adjusting said tank within the cabinet.

3. Bathing apparatus of the character described, comprising, in combination, a cabinet, guides extending diametrically across one corner of the cabinet, removable extension guiding means located above the top of the cabinet, a water tank provided with an outlet nozzle and having cooperating guiding means, and. means for vertically adusting said tank within the cabinet.

at. Bathing apparatus of the character described, comprising, in combination, a rectangular cabinet, guiding plates located within the cabinet and extending inwardly toward each other in a direction diametrically across one corner of the cabinet, said plates being folded to provide sockets at their upper portions, a lJ-shaped guiding member having its ends fitting detachably in. said sockets, said ends forming continuations of the guiding plates, :1 water tank having means to cooperate with the guiding plates and U-shaped member, and means for vertically adjusting said tank within the cabinet.

5. Bathing apparatus of the character described, comprising, in combination, a rec tangular cabinet, plates doubled to form guiding beads, said plates being secured to the walls of the cabinet near one corner thereof, and extending diametrically inward in a direction across said corner, said plates having open end portions forming sockets, a lJ-shaped guiding member having its ends detachably fitting said sockets, a water tank provided with means cooperating with said giiiiding devices, pulleys supported from said. U-shaped member and said tank, and an adjusting cord passing about said pulleys and having its free end accessible within the cabinet.

6. Bathing apparatus of the character described, comprising, in combination, a rectangular cabinet having inwardly extending guiding plates arranged near one corner of the cabinet, U-shaped guiding members fitted to the upper open ends of the guiding portion of said plates and forming extensions thereof, a bracket extending from the corner of the cabinet to the central portion of the U-shaped member, pulleys supported from said bracket and from the water bucket respectively, and a cord passing about said pulleys and having its free end accessible for operation from within the cabinet.

7. Bathing apparatus of the character described. comprising, in combination, a cabinet, a heater therein, a water tank provided with an outlet nozzle, and means for vertically adjusting said tank relatively to said heater.

8. Bathing apparatus of the character described, comprising, in combination, a cabinet, a heater located within the corner of the cabinet, a water tank having an outlet nozzle, and guided within said corner of the cabinet in a direction vertically, and above said heater, and means for controlling the elevation of said tank whereby to temper the water therein.

9. A combined portable shower and vapor bath, comprising, in combination, a rectangular cabinet, a heating device located in the lower portion of said cabinet, a water tank having an outlet nozzle and guided for movements above said heater, and means for raising and lowering the water tank to adjust its distance from the heater in a vertical direction, whereby to suitably temper the water for shower bath, or to permit the water to vaporize for a vapor bath.

10. Bathing apparatus of the character described, comprising, in combination, a cabinet, guiding means extending in a direction diametrically across one corner of the cabinet, a water tank having an outlet nozzle, a bar extending diametrically through said water tank and having its ends re curved to provide guiding grooves to co operate with said guiding means, and a flexible device for adj ustably raising and lower ing said tank.

11. Bathing apparatus of the character described, comprising, in combination, a cabinet of rectangular cross section, guiding means located in one corner of the cabinet and comprising infolded plates provided at their upper ends with sockets, a water tank having an outlet nozzle, a guide bar extending diametrically across the upper portion of said tank and having its ends re-curved to embrace said plates and cooperate there with in guiding the tank vertically within the cabinet, a U-shaped guiding extension detachably secured to said plates, and means for adjustably elevating said tank.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 12th day of Jan, A. D. 1920.

GORDON G. STIMPSON.

Witness:

CLARA TUCK. 

